• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts

3

U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts

1

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on

2

Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts

3

U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts
Practically Speaking

What to Do When an Employee Gets In Trouble With the Law

By
Gene Marks
Gene Marks
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Gene Marks
Gene Marks
Down Arrow Button Icon
May 9, 2016, 9:00 AM ET
Police officer arresting a young man at night
Susan Chiang — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Practically Speaking is a weekly column that addresses your most pressing business dilemmas. The advice is the opinion of long-time business owner Gene Marks. Send your questions to PracticallySpeaking@fortune.com.

One of my employees was arrested last week on charges of domestic violence. He was released on bail and showed up to work the next day. So far, I haven’t said anything. Should I?

According to the National Coalition against Domestic Violence, every nine seconds a woman is assaulted or beaten in the U.S. and 1 in 3 women (and 1 in 4 men) have been victims of [some form of] physical violence by an intimate partner within their lifetime. The issue achieved national prominence in 2014 when a video showed football player Ray Rice hitting his spouse in an elevator. It’s serious and affects your company. So how do you handle this kind of situation internally?

If you become aware that an employee is a victim of domestic violence then hopefully you have a policy. Many employers do. The policy should state that you do not discriminate against anyone who is a victim of such a crime and that the company offers some type of paid leave so that the victim can seek physical or psychological care, services from a support organization or counseling, legal assistance and can have the time off to potentially relocate or take other actions to protect her (or his) safety. Some states have their own laws concerning the victims of domestic violence so you should definitely consult an attorney.

But what if it’s an accused offender? And he shows up to work the next day? What’s your policy? John Kasich’s campaign recently fired a staffer after he was arrested for domestic assault. That’s because his organization had a policy about behavior both on and off the job. You can do this too. But be careful – in many cases you can’t just automatically fire someone for this kind of behavior. In this country, people are still innocent until proven guilty and they’re entitled to due process. So just because someone is accused or even arrested for a crime doesn’t mean he did it, no matter the evidence. It’s within his right to come to work and unless you have a reason to fear for the safety of you or employees, you must give that person the opportunity to continue working. Some of my clients include paid time off even for offenders if they are seeking counseling or other support services to help them with their issues.

Your job, as owner, is to make sure you have a safe and productive work environment and if you think the presence of a domestic violence offender, even if just accused, jeopardizes that environment, then you must make the employee aware and keep him under close watch.

After a long interview process, we hired a great person for our customer service team. A few months later I found out that she lied on her job application and resume: she said she had a college degree but it turned out that she never completed it. I verified this with the college she attended. She’s been doing a good job for me. What do I do?

Hey, what’s a few little fibs, right? Some pretty important execs, bureaucrats and coaches have done it, so why not?

Lying on a job application or resume is serious stuff. Not having faith in someone’s integrity or honesty shakes the core of a business relationship. Not taking action could send a signal to others that you’re willing to accept dishonesty, regardless of the situation.

However, it’s an imperfect world. If an employee had lied on an application about something that was critical for her job – a required certification, licensing, experience with a certain skill needed – then you would need to terminate. In fact, according to this blog, the cardinal sin of lying on a resume is falsifying educational accomplishments. If the employee is a senior executive in your company who lied on a resume, then I would also strongly consider termination. This is not something that credible leaders do.

But a customer service rep? Someone who’s been doing a good job and doesn’t really require a college degree for her job? Assuming there are no other issues, I’d likely keep her. Of course, I’d have a private conversation with her, letting her know that I know about her indiscretion and giving her a chance to defend herself. But even assuming she has no defense, I’d lecture her, tell her how disappointed I am and watch her closely. But for the kind of job she’s doing, I wouldn’t terminate her.

About the Author
By Gene Marks
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • Pinterest icon

Latest in

What is uninsured motorist coverage and do you need it?
Personal FinanceInsurance
What is uninsured motorist coverage and do you need it?
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 10, 2026
2 hours ago
NordicTrack as best elliptical
HealthFitness
Nordictrack X16 Elliptical Review (2026): Hands-On Testing Feedback
By Emily PharesJuly 10, 2026
2 hours ago
Fidji Simo steps back from OpenAI—and exposes the fragile hold women still have on power
NewslettersMPW Daily
Fidji Simo steps back from OpenAI—and exposes the fragile hold women still have on power
By Emma HinchliffeJuly 10, 2026
3 hours ago
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, June 27-July 10, 2026
C-SuiteFortune 500 Power Moves
Fortune 500 Power Moves: Which executives gained and lost power, June 27-July 10, 2026
By Fortune EditorsJuly 10, 2026
3 hours ago
Top Iranian officials admitted to the supreme leader that the U.S. naval blockade was crushing the economy, report says, as Trump eyes reimposing it
Middle EastIran
Top Iranian officials admitted to the supreme leader that the U.S. naval blockade was crushing the economy, report says, as Trump eyes reimposing it
By Jason MaJuly 10, 2026
3 hours ago
Asian businessman using a laptop
SuccessCareers
One Wall Street firm is paying its Gen Z interns fresh out of college $8,600 a week—more than the typical American makes in nearly two months
By Preston ForeJuly 10, 2026
4 hours ago

Most Popular

Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
Economy
Farm groups saved Bayer in court over RoundUp cancer claims. Five days later, Bayer called for tariffs on the ingredient farmers rely on
By Mia OsmonbekovJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
Success
Billionaire MacKenzie Scott just donated $20 million to support America’s youth mental health, as a fifth of teens struggle with suicidal thoughts
By Emma BurleighJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts
Economy
U.S. Treasury has borrowed $155 billion every month of this fiscal year—and is now paying $24 billion a week in interest on its debts
By Eleanor PringleJuly 10, 2026
9 hours ago
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
Success
Self-made multimillionaire says Canadians 'give no money away' compared with Americans—research shows U.S. giving is more than twice as high
By Preston ForeJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
Personal Finance
Current price of oil as of July 9, 2026
By Joseph HostetlerJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago
49% of young adults live at home, up 12 points since 2019. An economist says the fallout will reshape marriage, kids, and home-buying
Economy
49% of young adults live at home, up 12 points since 2019. An economist says the fallout will reshape marriage, kids, and home-buying
By Catherina GioinoJuly 9, 2026
1 day ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.